What We've Been Playing - 21st February 2014

This is the first edition of what will become a regular feature on MCMP. Every fortnight a few of us will get together and talk briefly about the games we've been enjoying (or not) recently. We begin with the game that all of Twitter is talking about - Titanfall.





Tom - Titanfall Beta
So they released the Titanfall 'Beta' (aka demo/marketing tool/server stress test) this week, and I was lucky enough to get into the PC version and play for a few hours. So far it's quite impressive. The movement system consisting of wall running and double-jumps is especially brilliant and adds a great sense of mobility to your character. Both of the maps on offer are solid if unspectacular and create a lot of fast-paced gunfights. Currently my main issue is the lack of permanence within the game. Rounds only last a few minutes so I was found myself becoming burnt out on the game pretty quickly. More maps and game modes might fix this - we'll have to wait and see - but at the frankly ludicrous £45 price tag I wouldn't recommend pre-ordering it yet.

I found myself becoming burnt out pretty quickly... wouldn't recommend pre-ordering it yet

Ben - Knights Of The Old Republic

It’s been over ten years since the release of Knights of the Old Republic, and I’ve only just got round to playing it through, which is surprising considering I’m a massive fan of the Star Wars franchise. Bioware has always had incredible skill in crafting its RPGs, with excellent writing, deep gameplay and a world that really feels grounded in the Star Wars lore. 

While I’ve encountered enough bugs to last me a lifetime (occasionally setting me back three hours as, being a console gamer at heart, I’m still not accustomed to constant quick saving), they still haven’t stopped me from enjoying the game immensely. 

While I already knew the plot twist, (don't worry, I won’t spoil it for anyone that hasn’t played it), I didn’t notice the significance of some of the dialogue hinting at it throughout the game. Seemingly-casual talk earlier in the game with other characters now took on a whole other meaning, perfectly showcasing the writers' ability to hide important plot points in what appeared to be idle chatter. That is where KOTOR really hooked me - the story. While some of the lines are delivered flatly, or with an out-of-context emotion, it never stopped me from wanting to continue through the galaxy. KOTOR's story places it firmly as my third-favourite Star Wars game, right behind Battlefront and Republic Commando.  

The writers hide important plot points in what appears to be idle chatter

Joe - FIFA 14: Ultimate Team

The game which I've actually been spending the most time playing recently is Teleglitch: Die More Edition. I'm saving my thoughts on that, however, for a dedicated review next week. In the meantime I'll talk a little more about the game (mode) that's always firmly in my rotation - Ultimate Team. Anyone who read our Games of the Year article will know that I'm a recovering UT addict, but I'm yet to go completely cold turkey. 

UT isn't structured like the Premier League, where you have a number of consistent opponents who, alongside your team, finish the season in a ranked order. In UT you're given a certain number of points that you need to get, after playing ten games, in order to be promoted (working on a regular points system - three points for a win, etc.). 

I whizzed through my first five seasons, getting promoted every time, until I found myself in Division Five. Here my progress stalled significantly - this turned out to be right around where my ability level was. I spent the next three seasons floundering in mediocrity, getting enough points to avoid relegation but never truly troubling promotion either.

I'd been saving up for Willian - Chelsea's forceful Brazilian left-winger - for about two seasons. As fate would have it, with about three games to go in my fourth season in Division Five, I could finally afford him. As with real money it's typically a bad idea to spend all your money at once - you're supposed to wait until you're in a position where you'll have some left over. Flying in the face of financial logic, I snapped him up anyway. 

And it paid off. Oh how it paid off! I needed seven points from my last three games - two wins and a draw. Willian scored two goals in his debut to clinch an easy 2-0 win, and provided the crucial assist in my second game, which I drew 1-1. I went into my final game needing a win to finally get promoted to Division Four... and I lost 5-0. Only joking - I won, and Willian was great again! 

All my hard work, all the struggles and the tears, were instantly forgotten in my moment of jubilation. Then I played my first three games in Division Four and lost them all. Time to start saving up for Neymar I guess.

The journey continues...

Willian!